Joelle Hammerstad
Seattle City Light | Distributed Energy Resources Strategic Advisor
Speaker
Track C: Decarbonization and Electrification Strategies
Session C3: Renewable Integration Strategies
May 2, 2024 | 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
The Distributed Energy Resources Revolution
As more and more communities turn to heat pumps and electric cars to solve the climate crisis, electric utilities find that they must meet an ever-increasing demand for clean, renewable energy. In the Pacific Northwest, we have enjoyed an embarrassment of renewable energy riches for more than 100 years. Our rivers have provided ample hydropower — until now. Hydroelectric dams are engineering miracles, but they can’t be made bigger to provide more energy, and we can’t build more. And now, climate change is making it hard to fight climate change. Colder winters, longer, hotter summers and wildfires have all had an impact on electric utilities as we scramble to meet demand. Seattle City Light is rising to meet this challenge with a bold, new vision for Distributed Energy Resources. Come learn how we’re laying the groundwork for a future where more energy is produced and stored in our service territory.
Speaker Bio
Joelle Hammerstad is the Distributed Energy Resources Strategic Advisor for Seattle City Light. She has a background in energy efficiency, carbon reduction, public electric vehicle charging and renewable energy. She previously served as the Sustainable Operations Manager at Seattle Parks and Recreation. She has worked to support communities through climate resilience work. She was one of the lead developers of the first solar microgrid in Seattle at Miller Community Center, which opened in 2022. She spearheaded the City of Seattle’s Indoor, Cleaner, Cooler Air Centers and played a key role in developing the City of Seattle’s Smoke Ready Communities initiative. She helped plan the Washington Solar Summit in 2023, where she also spoke about the distributed energy resources revolution. She started her career as an award-winning journalist, later moving into public service communications and community engagement.